Feeding problems

[milk man]

I've been having trouble with my albino Honduran not eating. He ate well the first 3 weeks then he regurgitated, probably because I fed a larger mouse than he was used to. So I waited a few days and fed him a hopper. After that he showed no interest in food. I bought him from a breeder so I think he was brumated before I got him. I know males go off food during mating season so I weighed him every week to make sure he wasn't loosing to much weight. He lost 16 grams through the 7 missed feedings. He finally ate a hopper a weeks ago, but refused to eat again this week. He only comes out once or twice a week to drink and almost never sits in the warm area of the enclosure. I have been putting him in a separate enclosure to eat lately because he wont come out when I put food in for him. What should I do at this point?

Enclosure specs:


30 gal wide
Reptibark bedding
UTH on thermostat set for 77*F
Cardboard hides

Dates fed:


regurgitated 4/7
successful feed 4/10
didn't eat but offered mouse weekly
successful feed 6/20
Unsuccessful feed 7/2

[Mikoh4792]

how old/big is your snake?

Is there a reason you are keeping the thermostat set at 77F? From what I know about honduran milksnakes that is way too low for a warm side.

I also wouldn't use cardboard hides. For snakes that need above average humidity they can start to mold and get soggy. In that kind of an environment a bacterial growth is pretty much guaranteed.

[milk man]

how old/big is your snake?

Is there a reason you are keeping the thermostat set at 77F? From what I know about honduran milksnakes that is way too low for a warm side.

I also wouldn't use cardboard hides. For snakes that need above average humidity they can start to mold and get soggy. In that kind of an environment a bacterial growth is pretty much guaranteed.

Thanks for the quick reply!

I was told he is 2 years old. As of last week he is 104 grams.

Since you mentioned it I did some looking and realize I am keeping it to low. I did a lot of reading but I don't know why that slipped past me. I feel really dumb now! I am going to turn it up after typing this.


I am aware of mold problems so I keep close eyes on them, and change them often. He prefers flat hides and I cant find any locally at the moment. I make them out of boxes I got from USPS. I will go hunting for some cork bark or something at the local pet shops this week though.

I also have a problem keeping the humidity up because of the screen top. Any suggestion?

Edit: My brain is misfiring today! it is set at 87*F

[Mikoh4792]

Thanks for the quick reply!

I was told he is 2 years old. As of last week he is 104 grams.

Since you mentioned it I did some looking and realize I am keeping it to low. I did a lot of reading but I don't know why that slipped past me. I feel really dumb now! I am going to turn it up after typing this.

I am aware of mold problems so I keep close eyes on them, and change them often. He prefers flat hides and I cant find any locally at the moment. I make them out of boxes I got from USPS. I will go hunting for some cork bark or something at the local pet shops this week though.

I also have a problem keeping the humidity up because of the screen top. Any suggestion?

Atleast you have a thermostat! That's nice to know. Your snake might not be eating because the temperatures were too low. I would raise them and see if it eats in a week.

You can make your own hides. You don't really even need to use hides that have the typical "hide" shape. You can stack flat things on top of eachother...etc just be creative if you don't want to go out and buy them.

Problems keeping the humidity up is typical of screen tops. Just cover the screen top, leave a little space for ventilation and it should be fine. You can use plexi-glass sheets, glass sheets, light covers( i got this idea from another poster here).

Look at post number 18 http://www.ssnakess.com/forums/general-enclosure-discussion/100669-first-king-snake-cage-2.html

[milk man]

Atleast you have a thermostat! That's nice to know. Your snake might not be eating because the temperatures were too low. I would raise them and see if it eats in a week.

You can make your own hides. You don't really even need to use hides that have the typical "hide" shape. You can stack flat things on top of eachother...etc just be creative if you don't want to go out and buy them.

Problems keeping the humidity up is typical of screen tops. Just cover the screen top, leave a little space for ventilation and it should be fine. You can use plexi-glass sheets, glass sheets, light covers( i got this idea from another poster here).

Sorry, I don't know why I cant think today.:wacky: The thermostat is at 87*F.

[Amadeus]

Check all temps. If too low the snake won't be able to digest and will regurge.

[Lankyrob]

Sorry, I don't know why I cant think today.:wacky: The thermostat is at 87*F.

Is that the temps in the viv or what it says on the thermostat, the two temps can be way out of sync.

I have three identical thermostats running on three identical vivs, the temps in the vivs are all 86f but the temps on the thermostats are 92, 78, 84f.

The temps IN the viv are the important ones

[milk man]

Just to clear up any any confusion my thermostat was set at 87*F the whole time. I now have a dent in my forehead from the facepalm that ensued when I got up to fix my thermostat.

I have heard a lot about how to get small snakes to eat (braining pinkies, scenting etc), but whats the best way to get a bigger snake to eat? Do people "brain" hoppers? I don't know if scenting will work as well because he sometimes has no interest in seeing the mouse. He will even try to get away and hide from it. I have been feeding F/T, should I try live?

[milk man]

Is that the temps in the viv or what it says on the thermostat, the two temps can be way out of sync.

I have three identical thermostats running on three identical vivs, the temps in the vivs are all 86f but the temps on the thermostats are 92, 78, 84f.

The temps IN the viv are the important ones

Ok, here is my confusion with the thermostats. It was suggested that I put the probe on the surface of the substrate. I haven't checked the air temp because I read and was told they don't matter as much. He never goes to the hot side anyway. He stays at the middle part of the enclosure. I dont have lights because he hate the light.

[Lankyrob]

What is the temp exactly wheree the probe is placed, that is what is critical. What it says on the thermostat is 100% irrelevant to the snake

[Mark Taylor]

I use a PE-2 Infrared Thermometer Laser to get actual temps and adjust the thermostat accordingly.

[milk man]

The temp is 87*F where the probe is. The temperature doesn't change more than 2*F from that. I am using a VE-200. I doubt temp is the problem.

[milk man]

Update: He took his meal today with no problem. I thawed the hopper over night rather than in water. I think it helped with the scent.

[EL Ziggy]

Congrats MM, I hope you won't have any more feeding issues.